Zhang Jialei had something of an epiphany. Although Encore had yet to wear off, leaving him unable to use any other move even if he wanted to, he had taken this opportunity to understand the true meaning of being a Gym Leader.
As a Gym Leader, his purpose was not simply to win, but to help Trainers and their Pokémon grow together, guiding them toward greater knowledge and insight through battle.
Perhaps this was what the Gym Leader had wanted him to understand all along.
"Use Defense Curl."
With Golem in its current state, it had no time to use Rollout now that Monferno had closed in. It could only try to withstand this blow by continuing to raise its defense.
Watching Golem lying on the ground, still using Defense Curl, Monferno focused intently. As it drew back its right fist, a faint vortex appeared over its knuckles.
Boom!
Golem's iron-weight body actually shuddered violently under Monferno's punch. Its massive body scraped uncontrollably across the ground, sliding a considerable distance backward.
A close look would reveal fine cracks in the rock where Monferno's fist had struck.
"Golem..."
Golem squeezed its eyes shut, its short hands clutching its body. It was clearly in pain.
It actually withstood that? Three Defense Curls really were ridiculous!
Ye Qing felt a little regretful. If even Focus Punch could not knock the opponent out in one hit, that meant they would have to endure Self-Destruct.
"Self-Destruct!"
Sure enough, Zhang Jialei immediately ordered Self-Destruct.
Energy seethed throughout Golem's body, which burst into dazzling light. The next moment, it exploded with a thunderous boom!
The blast's shock wave kicked up powdered stone and spread rapidly outward. The ground caved in, dust filled the air, and terrifying waves of energy surged in every direction. At a glance, it